Before starting the story about the USA, I need to rewind a bit…
In 2020, while traveling towards the United States in Colombia, I had decided to convert my bicycle into a 29-inch wheel disc brake model. Just as the preparations were being made, the pandemic broke out. My girlfriend asked me, “Why are you stay there? Come to Chile.” I listened her and returned to Chile. You might wonder why I stopped; our relationship ended, but we remained friends. The result: the world shut down, and I spent 5 and a half months with my girlfriend and her daughter in the same house. Plus, the country didn’t reopen its borders for another 5 months. As soon as the borders opened, I returned to Colombia, picked up the new bicycle, and continued my journey in central America
I had covered Colombia and all the countries of Central America, reaching Guatemala’s border with Mexico. In 2021, the number of Turks fleeing from the Mexican border to the USA was 32,000. Due to the pandemic, the Guatemala-Mexico land border was closed, and especially when Turkish passports were seen, they either wouldn’t allow passage or demanded significant bribes to let them through. Some officials also wanted to see the U.S. visa in the passport.
I was living a movie-like process.
I first attempted to obtain the U.S. visa with a diplomatic note written by our ambassador Mr. Erkan in Guatemala, but they didn’t grant it.
Diplomatic Note: We can say that it’s a goodwill letter given to a person in the name of the President in exceptional circumstances by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or our embassies. Yes, there is a letter from our ministry about writing such letters for me. The state says, “This person is our supported athlete, and we would appreciate your assistance in obtaining a visa and crossing the country.” So, my guarantor is the state. A diplomatic note is a request letter that has been written for me in many countries and has been effective. It’s not usual for states to ignore this letter. Only the U.S. embassies have ignored this note! Since it wasn’t granted in Guatemala, calmer, I returned from Chile to Guatemala by plane, which I had previously passed through.
Rightly so, when I continued my journey immediately after the pandemic, my girlfriend said, “You’ve cycled through 68 countries, we have a great relationship, you can get a residence and work permit here. Stop the world tour.” People want their loved ones by their side. But I had told her from the beginning. I won’t stop before finishing the world tour. If we are going to continue under these conditions, let’s continue. As a result, our relationship ended, and we parted ways as friends. But during this time, I applied for residence and work permits in Chile. The reason was that I didn’t want to return to Turkey for a visa. With these permits, I could have obtained the U.S. visa here. Our ambassador in Chile didn’t write a diplomatic note for me, which I had previously mentioned in one of my previous writings. Let me include that here, “Why I couldn’t get a diplomatic note in Chile.”
While spending time on small tours in Chile, I injured myself due to a movement I made in the gym. The friends from the gym took me to where I was staying. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t even go to the bathroom. Incredible pain, I couldn’t move from my lower back. The next day when I went to the hospital, I learned that the L5 S1 disc had slipped, and I needed surgery. The situation was quite serious. Refusing surgery, I said I would get through this process with physiotherapy and other sports, and in the meantime, I would wait for the residence permit. It was only after 5 and a half months that I started walking and cycling. Since I didn’t have insurance at that time, I spent a considerable amount of money on treatment. Afterwards, when I went to inquire about the status of the paperwork at the Foreigners’ Branch, I was told that the residence and work permit would be issued in one year, and I was devastated.
I packed up and returned to Colombia. For the last time, I tried with a diplomatic note from our ambassador Ms. Beste, and the result: they didn’t even let me into the embassy; they didn’t care. There was nothing left to do; I had to return to Turkey and get the visa to continue my journey. You already know the process in Türkiye; I’ve shared it in my travel memories.
On April 16, 2024, I arrived in Miami from Colombia.
It’s been a delay and struggle of almost 4 years, no matter how you look at it. I got off the plane, walked down the corridor with my hands in my pockets. When I reached the passport checkpoint, I went straight to the section for non-US citizens. There was no one else but me, so I walked directly to the officer and handed over my passport. He opened the first page, scanned it into the device, read something from the screen for about 10 seconds. “Look at the camera,” he said, took my photo, gave me back my passport, and said, “You can go.” I continued walking. It didn’t take more than 30 seconds in total. The advertisements on my right and left are in Spanish. By the way, I’m thinking to myself that they’ll probably do a more detailed check at customs. When I reached the baggage claim area, I saw my belongings right away. How quickly they came, interesting. First, I took my bike, then I had a bag, I took that too, and I exited from the place where they write the exit.
Wait a minute? I can’t have entered the US, can I? This shouldn’t be like this. This is my 70th country, but I’ve never entered any of the previous 69 countries this easily. What’s going on? No, forget everything, I’m coming as a transfer from Bogota, Colombia. In Europe, in Turkey, everyone coming from this destination would be put into the machine that takes a 360-degree body image to check if they’ve hidden cocaine or any other drug inside their body. They didn’t do this, and they didn’t even ask any questions. I walked in freely. The first thing that came to my mind was the note the official took on the computer when I got my visa in Turkey. There must have been something about me on the screen. Maybe there was a sign or a color because I passed through very quickly. It’s like they say, “Eat the grape, don’t ask about the vine,” that’s the situation.
In the end, I entered the US. I didn’t make any hotel reservations expecting trouble. I didn’t want to waste money unnecessarily. Since I was at the airport at 2:00 AM, it was best to stay here instead of going to the city. When I got internet access, I saw that our consul in Miami, Mr. Resul, arranged a place for me through businessman Volkan Yazıcı who lives in Miami. I was both surprised and happy. The beginning of my trip to the US was quite nice. By the way, my university friend Zeynep Göksen keeps everyone informed, she calls me and says:
– Dude, nobody here knows you, it’s so funny. When I tell them what you’re doing, many people don’t even understand, the words fall short when explaining to someone who doesn’t know you.
Actually, that’s very true. I don’t attach any importance to what I’m doing. It’s a process that has come to today as others talk about it. Also, my posts are beyond the interest of many people. I’m not someone who regularly uploads videos to YouTube and produces the desired content. I prefer to spend my time writing, not sharing videos. Shouldn’t everyone focus on what they love? My friends and followers who teach communication-related courses to a Communication Faculty Radio Television Cinema graduate like me sometimes politely agree with the criticisms. What can I say? After a point, whatever I say sounds conceited. If I tell you what to do in your field of expertise, would you like it? Anyway, I guess I will always be criticized for not conforming to the norm in this regard. You keep saying how great it is to have content about caravans, bicycles, motorcycles, backpacking. People are doing it, so take the time to watch. My thing is here on www.gurkangenc.com. I know you don’t like reading, but is it right to try to distance me from what I love just because you don’t like it? How would you feel if I put the same pressure on you for your job?
I picked up the bike, I’m about to head towards the hotel; our consul Resul Bey sent a vehicle. I said my bike wouldn’t fit, he said our vehicle is big. True, this is the US, I’ll often see big and spacious vehicles here. Well then, the starting point in Miami will be the other side of the hotel, on the Atlantic coast. By the way, if it weren’t for the hotel, I would have talked to the firefighters first; I wonder if they will host me. You know, in many countries in Latin America, firefighters especially open their doors to cyclists. I wonder if they will host me here too. I will find out the answer to this question in the coming days.
I thank Resul Bey’s driver Hasretcan and Özlem who prepared breakfast. I also had the opportunity to visit our consulate.
This information will be interesting: I hadn’t mentioned it before:
Countries visited: 70
Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China, Mongolia, South Korea, Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, UK, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala.
I’ve been inside embassies in 46 countries, visited and observed. I stayed in 24 of our embassies in these countries.
In addition to these, I’ve seen 4 consulates in Germany, 1 consulate in Austria, 1 consulate in the Netherlands, and 1 consulate in the United States. In some of the countries I passed through, there were no embassies; they opened after I passed through over the years. A special text about me was also sent to the Turkish Embassies along my route again in April 2023. There is no other diplomat or Turkish citizen in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs who has seen or stayed in as many embassies as I have. I say this should be noted. (Diplomats in our Ministry always say this. It’s a special situation.)
The hotel arranged by Volkan Yazıcı for me is Citizen M World Trade in downtown Miami. It’s really in a very nice location, close to everywhere. You can reach beautiful spots in every direction within 50 kilometers by bike. The good thing is that there are shared bike lanes everywhere, and there are special signs for them on the roads. There are bike lanes, but most of the roads are marked as shared. One lane of the road is reserved for cyclists.
When I came from Bogota, I wanted to compare Miami like this. North-South direction. From one end of the city to the other..
Miami from Homestead to Jupiter: 200 km
Bogota from Soacha to Mrandela: 60 km
Bogota: 1,636,872 km2
Miami: 143,000 km2
1.5 million people live in Miami.
In Bogotá, 8 million people live.
When looked at as a state, Florida, where Miami is located, has nearly 3,000 kilometers of bicycle lanes. From villages to towns, cities, we’re talking about a large state where 25 million people live. The area is already huge. In Miami, there are 350 kilometers of bike lanes within the city. According to a study conducted in 2018, 110,000 people use bicycles in the city within 24 hours.
There are 950 kilometers of bike lanes in Bogotá city, and more than 3 million people use bicycles within 24 hours.
Now, coming from such a massive, chaotic city without rules to a city where everything is well-organized was a great experience. I experienced something similar while I was living in Bogotá and went to Amsterdam, Netherlands for Enerjisa Production. Very sharp and clear differences. It resulted in a beautiful observation. There is a similar process here as well. I rode 60 kilometers within the city. Early in the morning, around 5:50, just like in Colombia, it’s possible to see cyclists on the streets. For example, this wasn’t a common situation in Amsterdam. Geography has a big impact here, that’s for sure. On the other hand, in Colombia, they enjoy training in all kinds of weather conditions, whether it’s raining, cold, or sunny. Different dynamics were at play there.
We’ll talk more about cycling. Apart from that, fundamentally, on the journey I’m making, I’m also considered homeless. Okay, I have a bicycle, a tent, clothes. Just like I saw in Miami, there are quite a few homeless people. They have shopping carts, clothes, bags, plastic bags for sun protection. I saw a woman lying on the ground having breakfast in one of the most luxurious neighborhoods by the beach with this concept. It’s obvious she’s homeless, with her cellphone, computer; it seems like she had seen and lived a certain lifestyle before ending up in this situation, or it could be her choice, as my friends living here mentioned that there are people who choose this kind of life. Actually, my way of life is a bit different.
Here in Miami, a few women I met on Tinder said to me at some point in the conversation, “So you’re homeless.” Yes, I am homeless, I said. This was the first time a few women in a country openly mentioned it. This also gave me a preliminary idea of how society would react to certain issues. They cut off communication instantly. Interestingly, when I said I was Turkish, some left the conversation immediately. This situation roughly indicated what I should pay attention to in my conversations.
My friend Zeynep and Oytun from my university years live in Miami. Also, Renan, whom I’ve heard of from our mutual friends for years, but we haven’t had the chance to meet. I met him here too. I also had the chance to meet İbrahim, who has been following my travels for years. Thanks to Burçin, I was introduced to her friends from Moldova, we chatted, but I didn’t want to bother anyone. Whoever is available will reach out to me anyway. Especially, I have never been someone who constantly requests to do this or that. Sometimes when people want to meet me in Bogotá, they couldn’t afford anything, I became a local, I got rid of that trouble. Hahaha…
For example, İbrahim called me in Miami and said, “Brother, wherever you are, I’m coming there,” and came from an hour away. For example, this guy is someone who tours by bike, someone who understands the situation, so he came straight to me. Renan and Oytun are also like that, because they are aware of what kind of tour I’m doing. If I’m in tour mode on a bike and the place or house where I want to host is on my way, of course, I’ll come. If it’s not on my way, there’s no way I’ll come, and I’ve written this several times in my posts. I always remember Oğuz Kutlu and his daughters from Burladingen, Germany. Sometimes they come, pick me up by car, then drop me back where they picked me up, hahaha. Good memories…
Our consul, Resul Bey, Zeynep, and I went to Mandolin restaurant one day, which gives off a Mediterranean breeze. The owner is also a Turkish citizen, but we didn’t get a chance to meet him, but the place and the atmosphere were really nice. I really liked the atmosphere.. We talked about everything. From the changes the pandemic has brought in Miami and our lives to the job opportunities in this region. It was enjoyable to listen to two people who have spent years in America.
The next day, on April 21, 2024, we celebrated April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day. This beautiful day, organized by the Florida Turkish-American Association, was celebrated in Miami in the perfect atmosphere. Among the crowd, Onur Morkan, one of the former students of Atılım University; “Gürkan Abi?” People who knew me and saw me in this field were initially a bit surprised. They thought my world bike tour had ended…. Fortunately, it’s still going on. I had a great conversation with Onur. He deals with spare parts for old American cars in the United States. “Come on, start from Artvin, come here,” I said to meet Artvin’s traveler Gürkan Genç…
I met many valuable people at this event, and then I returned to where I was staying and prepared my bike for the journey. By the way, I’m reviewing my dialogues with the people I talked to at the event. One thing I pay attention to is “prejudices.” It’s hard to break prejudices, especially in similar societies like ours with culture and tradition. Of course, I’m not generalizing, but when I confirmed a similar situation with 5-6 people, it was clear that similar responses would come from the majority. Anyway, I’ll spread this issue to the Turkish community throughout America. In the end, I had observed our fellow citizens in Germany in a similar way.
The house where I started pedaling and where I stayed in Miami North Beach was the house of the Yaprak family. Oytun was my friend from university, and this would be the first time I would meet his wife Bahar and daughter Helen face to face. Oytun had already bought children’s books for his daughter Helen as soon as my books came out. We were even going to start a coffee bean business together at one point from Guatemala. It didn’t happen. Throughout my journey, we’ve always had these little exchanges, conversations. And we continue to do so. Bahar is a 13-year-old teacher who has completed her duty. Before coming to live in the United States, she took her annual leave as a successful teacher. Now she has jumped into a new adventure here with Oytun and Helen. She said she would prepare a simple meal, and she immediately gained 2 kilograms and set off the next day. Their daughter Helen offfffffffff. We experienced a situation like growing up and shrinking back down when she said a sentence like “What, why are you laughing at this situation” based on one sentence from her mother. It was a very nice dinner and conversation.
The next day, I pedalled 60km again within Miami and went to the house of my friend Deniz in the Boca area. I also met his wife Hakkı that day. Their siblings Derin, Derya, and our long-time friend Zeynep came in the evening. We all went to a Turkish restaurant together, had a delicious meal, and had a great conversation.
The next day, I drove 80km again and stayed at the house of Deniz and Utku in Miami. They were living in Wellington, just outside Miami. Deniz introduced me to Zeynep on April 23rd. I wanted to open a bank account in the United States, and he was working at Bank of America. Before going home, I stopped by his bank.
After leaving Boca, I covered the 80km quite quickly, and before going to the bank, I sat down somewhere nearby to have a meal. A couple sat down at the next table. I understood the woman pointed to my flag and said something to her husband, but I was tired and just rested my head on the table. They didn’t want to disturb me. Afterwards, we went to Deniz’s bank, chatted, and opened the account. Now I have an account at Bank of America. The account maintenance fee is $5 per month, or I will block $500 in the account to prevent withdrawals. I also added my account information to the support section. Additionally, when my debit card arrives, I will reactivate my PayPal account. Oh well, finally…
By the way, Zeynep’s cousin Cengiz and Sevil are coming from the northernmost part of Miami to see me. Deniz also said, “Let’s leave this bike at the house of those friends just ahead, and you can pick it up in the morning.” I said okay, and we went to their friends’ house, where the couple who had lunch with me was staying. We also had coffee together the next morning.
Cengiz and Sevil gave me great information about the national parks in the USA. In the evening, Utku took me to the pool at the site where they were staying, and we spent time in a hot tub. Thanks to Deniz, he prepared food for me for breakfast. So, as you can see, it’s like pedaling in Anatolia in Turkey. In 2023, I pedaled through Anatolia from June to August, and the situation was the same. Every loving friend invited me to their home.
Thank you all, friends, it started very nicely, my trip to the USA…